Access to housing in Chile is becoming a structural challenge

Over the past decade, access to housing in Chile has become increasingly difficult for a growing share of households. Between 2011 and 2021, house prices rose by 75%, while average mortgage payments increased by 87%, widening the gap between income levels and financing capacity.

This pressure is particularly visible in the Metropolitan Region, where an average household would need more than 11 years of total income to purchase a mid-priced home. In regions such as Ñuble, this figure exceeds 16 years. At the same time, market activity has weakened. New home sales fell to historic lows in 2024, with around 19,000 units sold, reflecting the impact of high interest rates and tighter credit conditions.

Although headline prices appear relatively stable, the price per square metre continues to grow at close to 7% annually, pointing to an affordability problem that goes beyond the economic cycle and has structural roots.

In response, the government has introduced a mortgage rate subsidy for new homes priced up to 4,000 UF, offering interest rate reductions of up to 0.6% and, in some cases, state-backed guarantees. With 50,000 subsidies already allocated, the initiative represents a meaningful step. Its effectiveness, however, will depend on how market conditions evolve, particularly financing costs, land prices and supply constraints.

In this context, clarity becomes a strategic asset. At Accumin, we transform data into actionable intelligence, supporting developers, investors and public institutions in understanding market dynamics, anticipating change and making informed decisions.

This analysis forms part of our ongoing Access to Housing series, which examines how affordability pressures are reshaping residential markets across Europe and Latin America, connecting global trends with local realities.